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Anders Modig Davin

Scratch resistant, heat-resistant, non-corrosive – what’s not to love about ceramics? Used by humankind for some 25,000 years – and by the watch industry since the 1970s – the material is now becoming a ubiquitous material for high horology, appearing on timepieces in a wide variety of textures, colours and finishes.
Audemars Piguet and Chanel are among the brands releasing new-school ceramic pieces. An example from the latter is the J12 Bleu collection of nine watches in a deep blue, nearly black, hue.
At Watches and Wonders 2025, Zenith also jumped on the blue train for its 160th anniversary, releasing new versions of the Chronomaster Sport, Defy Skyline and Pilot Big Date Flyback in a striking bright blue ceramic.

“The properties of ceramics are very interesting, and you can play a lot with colours. I think clients are searching for this,” says Zenith chief products officer Romain Marietta, adding that the brand’s uniquely developed hue allowed for a consistent shade over the whole watch.
Zirconium oxide is the chemical name of the ceramic commonly used in the watch industry. Previously, its application was either dull or extremely shiny, but newer tools for processing the material have created more possibilities. “Our suppliers now have more experience in mastering the material itself,” says Marietta, adding that one complexity is that the material shrinks by 30 per cent during the sintering process involved in its manufacture. “Now, with better precision tools and better understanding, ceramic bracelets are tighter as they can be machined with smaller tolerances.”
Zenith’s releases this year also proved the brand could reproduce the types of finishes normally seen on other materials with ceramic. “Polished, satin, microblasted and sandblasted [finishes are now more possible]. This [hi-tech] material is also relatively accessible, so we can create great-looking watches at a very interesting price point,” Marietta continues. He adds that much of the work is done by hand, and suppliers have become better at hand finishing.

It’s important to note that while brands work with ceramics in their watches, no brand has its own in-house ceramic case making and bracelet facility. Five major suppliers are Bangerter, Ceramaret, Comadur, Dexel and Formatech.
As befitting a brand seeking the latest technologies and innovations, Marietta is excited about the future of ceramics. “We feel the appetite of clients for something different, something surprising. We are also working on other components that have never before been made in ceramic. In the end it is not simple to sell a ceramic watch, because a lot of people prefer traditional materials. But if you appreciate colour, technique and things that are different, ceramic is a very cool material.”

IWC Schaffhausen became a pioneer of the art 40 years ago, when it combined high-end complications in the release of the IWC Da Vinci Perpetual Calendar in white and black ceramic. “Back in the day we also made some prototypes in green and pink,” says Lorenz Brunner, IWC’s department manager for research and innovation. Today the brand offers 17 ceramic references, one of three ceramic novelties in 2025 being the IWC Ingenieur Automatic 42. This is the first time the model – revived from the 1970s – comes with a ceramic case and bracelet.
“Ceramic has great properties for sports watches,” Brunner says. “Its hardness makes it extremely durable, and it is available in different colours, which is important in an optically driven industry.” He adds that improved manufacturing possibilities for higher quantities – such as using injection moulding – are one reason why ceramic is such an increasingly popular material.
The only drawback Brunner sees is that ceramics can be somewhat brittle. “But the material has dramatically improved in the last 20 years,” he says. “To reduce the fracture risk even more we also make a composite with ceramic as a matrix material, adding carbon fibre, which makes it really tough.”

Chopard has now jumped on the ceramics bandwagon with its hybrid Alpine Eagle 41 SL Cadence 8HF. Here, a ceramicised titanium case combines the strength and lightness of grade 5 titanium with a near-ceramic hardness. And just like IWC has movement parts in exotic materials, the Alpine Eagle movement has ceramicised titanium plates to further reduce weight.

Another classically oriented brand, Parmigiani Fleurier raised the bar in April with the incorporation of Ultra-Cermet, a hi-tech material blending ceramics and titanium. It’s used for the case of the brand’s Tonda PF Sport Chronograph. Thanks to its metallic content, Ultra-Cermet can be polished and decorated like traditional materials. The new launch is felt to address the needs of younger aficionados and collectors looking for something different. Reactions were so positive in fact that almost all the quantities of the two references sold out in the first week. Comments Olivier Tomaselli, head of product and development at Parmigiani Fleurier: “So-called ‘exotic materials’ – mainly ceramics – represent roughly a 10 per cent market share today, but it is growing. Look at all the new ceramics launches – there are so many!”


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Timepieces

How modern ceramic techniques are revolutionising high horology: Watches and Wonders 2025 showcased hardy new pieces from Audemars Piguet, Chopard, Chanel and IWC Schaffhausen

The Zenith Chronomaster Sport 160th Blue Ceramic. Photo: Handout

Audemars Piguet’s Royal Oak Offshore Blue Nuit Nuage 50. Photo: Handout

Zenith Defy Skyline 160th Blue Ceramic. Photo: Handout

IWC Schaffhausen’s Ingenieur Automatic 42. Photo: Handout

Chopard’s Alpine Eagle 41 SL Cadence 8HF. Photo: Handout

Tonda PF Sport Chronograph by Parmigiani Fleurier. Photo: Handout

7 timepiece moments from March and April 2025: Watches and Wonders, the effects of Trump’s tariffs, and a bevy of new releases to get excited about

From left: Donald Trump announces reciprocal tariffs which may cause watch prices to soar; Roger Federer was spotted wearing the Rolex Land-Dweller prior to Watches & Wonders; MB&F and Eric Giroud release the M.A.D.2. Photos: Reuters, Rolex, Handout

Visitors attend the opening day of the Watches and Wonders Geneva luxury watch fair, in Geneva, Switzerland, on April 1. Photo: EPA-EFE

Jay Chou visits the Tudor Booth at Watches and Wonders 2025 in Geneva. Photo: Handout

A Tank à Guichets watch displayed at Cartier’s stand during the opening day of the Watches and Wonders on April 1. Photo: Agence France-Presse

US President Donald Trump and US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick presenting their new tariffs on April 2. Photo: Reuters

Visitors are seen near the Rolex booth during the Watches and Wonders fair on April 3. Photo: Reuters

Christopher Ward’s recently released C12 Loco with the CW-003 in-house movement. The direct-to-consumer brand is likely to be one of the brands most hurt by Trump’s tariffs. Photo: Handout

Royal Oak Bleu Nuit Nuage 50 Double Balance Wheel Openworked by Audemars Piguet. Photo: Handout

Breguet’s Classique Souscription 2025. Photo: Handout

MB&F’s turntable inspired M.A.D.2 Edition. Photo: Handout

Furlan Marri’s Red Hunter Anniversary Piece. Photo: Handout

Former Panerai CEO Jean-Marc Pontroué. Photo: Panerai

Jean-Christophe Babin is now CEO of LVMH Watches. Photo: Handout

Gallet MultiChron Clamshell. Photo: Handout

Rick (Walton Goggins) and Chelsea (Aimee Lou Wood) in the Season 3 finale of The White Lotus. Photo: Tribune News Service

Ed Sheeran sports a unique Audemars Piguet Royal Oak ‘Jumbo’ Extra Thin at Coachella. Photo: Getty Images

Cartier Portico Mystery Clock No. 3. Photo: Handout

A flintlock pistol with a hidden watch, attributed to Moulinie, Bautte & Cie, will be shown at Hong Kong Watch Auction XX. Photo: Handout

Bad Bunny’s vintage luxury watch collection, from Rolex to Cartier: the Puerto Rican rapper wore an Audemars Piguet to the Grammys and a Patek Philippe for his GQ shoot … both ladies’ watches

Bad Bunny watches are all about the cool factor. Photos: Getty Images, Handout

Bad Bunny at the 2025 iHeartRadio Music Awards in Los Angeles, in March. Photo: Getty Images

The “Wood Dial” Rolex Day-Date is a throwback to the 1970s. Photo: Handout

Bad Bunny performing at the 2023 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, California. Photo: Getty Images

Bad Bunny stole the show at Milan Fashion Week in 2023 with this Cartier Santos. Photo: Handout

Bad Bunny sports a Patek Philippe at an LA Lakers-Memphis Grizzlies basketball game, in 2023. Photo: Getty Images

Bad Bunny wearing a women’s Patek Philippe watch for a 2022 GQ shoot. Photo: Roe Ethridge

Bad Bunny, sporting an Audemars Piguet, performs during the Grammy Awards 2023. Photo: Getty Images

Becky G and Bad Bunny at the 2025 iHeartRadio Music Awards in Los Angeles. Photo: Getty Images

The key trends at Watches and Wonders 2025: form, fit and function rule, with new concepts from Rolex and Vacheron Constantin, cool wearability from A. Lange & Söhne and Panerai, and bold new colours

The Tudor Black Bay 58 in bold burgundy exemplifies a trend among watchmakers this year for introducing vibrant new colours and bold designs. Photo: Handout

Montblanc Iced Sea 0 Oxygen 38mm. Photo: Handout

A view of the Calibre L122.2 in the A. Lange & Söhne Minute Repeater Perpetual. Photo: Handout

Panerai Luminor Perpetual Calendar GMT Platinumtech. Photo: Handout

IWC Schaffhausen Big Pilot Shock Absorber Tourbillon Skeleton. Photo: Handout

Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Sport Chronograph in Cermet. Photo: Handout

Zenith G.F.J. in a new bold blue. Photo: Handout

Hublot Big Bang Unico Petrol Blue Ceramic. Photo: Handout

Tudor Black Bay 68. Photo: Handout

Ulysse Nardin Diver (Air). Photo: Handout

Luxury meets practicality in rubber watch straps: Hublot started the trend, now Hermès, IWC, Richard Mille, Chanel and more have their own takes on this blend of casual and high-end

A happy fusion of luxury and laidback cool: the growing trend for luxe watches with rubber straps can be seen on the Richard Mille RM 1602. Photo: Handout

Hublot Big Bang Unico Red Magic 42mm. Photo: Handout

Hublot Big Bang One Click King Gold White Diamonds. Photo: Handout

Shawn Mendes matches the strap of his Patek Philippe Aquanaut with his swimming trunks while on holiday in Ibiza. Photo: SplashNews

Hermès Cut watch in steel and rose gold with diamonds. Photo: Handout 

IWC Pilot’s Watch Mark XX Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team. Photo: Handout 

Rolex Oyster Perpetual Yacht-Master 42. Photo: Handout

Chanel Première Ribbon watch. Photo: Handout

Gold watches from Van Cleef & Arpels, Cartier, Chanel, Bulgari, Piaget and others stole the spotlight at Watches and Wonders 2025 in Geneva, with sculptural pieces among the striking launches

At April’s Watches and Wonders 2025 fair in Geneva, brands including Van Cleef & Arpels, Cartier, Chanel, Bulgari and Piaget grabbed visitors’ attention with stunning gold watches. Photo: Handout

Van Cleef & Arpels Cadenas watch in yellow gold and white gold with sapphires and diamonds. Photo: Handout

Cartier Panthère jewellery watch in yellow gold with diamonds, tsavorites, onyx and black lacquer. Photo: Handout

Chanel Première Galon watch. Photo: Handout

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Modern ceramics are revolutionising high horology with scratch-proof durability and vibrant designs, making them the material of choice for many luxury watchmakers


Modern ceramics are revolutionising high horology with scratch-proof durability and vibrant designs, making them the material of choice for many luxury watchmakers.


How modern ceramic techniques are revolutionising high horology: Watches and Wonders 2025 showcased hardy new pieces from Audemars Piguet, Chopard, Chanel and IWC Schaffhausen

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Modern ceramics are revolutionising high horology with scratch-proof durability and vibrant designs, making them the material of choice for many luxury watchmakers

Modern ceramics are revolutionising high horology with scratch-proof durability and vibrant designs, making them the material of choice for many luxury watchmakers